For Carl, it was no big deal to capture a small rural village that wasn't even nad on the map. There was no need to use force in the first place.
"There are only children, old people, and won."
The rebels who attacked on the road had been drawn from surrounding villages, including this one. Most of those who remained in the village were unable to fight, and only a small number of n stayed to protect the village.
A force of fewer than ten farrs could not stop Carl's forces, including the Master.
The village had no fences, only a fence that reached up to their chests, so it was only natural that they surrendered.
"Bring everyone in the village."
Carl gathered the people together with a firm order.
The villagers, trembling with anxiety, had no choice but to follow silently as they watched the forty imperial soldiers mounted on horses, those who were clearly knights, and Carl, clad in a noble red cloak.
"If anyone knows anything about the rebels' movents, co forward."
Catherine stood before the gathered townspeople and spoke. A knight mounted on a large war horse speaking caused everyone to look around in fear.
"I say this for the last ti. Anyone who knows anything about the rebels' movents, co forward."
Catherine thought it was a waste to even say it twice.
Since the second ti was said to be the last, one couldn't help but feel the determination behind it. If they kept their mouths shut, they would be tortured or killed.
"Oh, a few days ago! A few days ago, they ca and took the n away!"
An old woman raised her hand and shouted frantically. Catherine pointed to the old woman and made her step forward with a snap of her finger.
"Tell more."
"Yes! Those damned bastards…."
"Stop, how many days ago was that exactly?"
"Ah, that… I emptied the basket four tis… Six days… No! It was seven days ago!"
The old woman did everything she could to show her great resentnt towards the rebels.
An old woman who had survived a long ti in a rural village like this was more experienced and wise than one might think.
To survive in a place where the teeth of the savage are sharp is to be strong.
"They ca down from the north, but there were so many of them that we couldn't do anything! They brandished spears and swords and threatened to kill all of us if we didn't hand over the n, so all the n of the village were dragged away by force!"
The old woman spoke with such desperation that her lips were dry as she tried to convey that they had not taken part in the rebellion, but were rely victims.
If it was seven days ago, it would have been three days since Carl left Himln with the central army. If one rode fast, it took exactly three days from Himln to Palten.
The timing was exquisite.
"Then what about the n left in the village now?"
"They had to protect the village. I begged and begged them to stay! Yes!"
Catherine silently watched the old woman sweat profusely with her flushed face despite the cold weather, then turned to Carl.
As Carl rode his horse forward quietly, the murmuring ceased as if it were a lie, and a cold silence descended.
Clank.
"… … ."
Carl took off his helt and revealed his face. Even if one didn't have an eye for beauty, anyone who saw him would think the sa thing: beautiful.
"Who participated in the rebellion?"
"...omg!"
As Carl spoke softly, the old woman lay face down on the floor with a pale face.
One could die just for daring to look him in the eye.
"Get up."
"… … ."
As Carl spoke softly, the old woman quickly got up and bowed her head. Her body reacted before she thought.
"Let ask you again. Who participated in the rebellion?"
Carl asked in a soft voice. He didn't think they were really innocent victims.
There must have been so who actively participated in the rebellion.
Not only those who were killed in the previous battle but also those who remained in the village. This old woman might be trying to protect everyone in the village while going crazy.
"Co on, co on. I'm watching. Point to him."
Carl rode his horse up to the terrified old woman, placed his hand on her shoulder, and made her look at the people.
The old woman pointed at each pale face with her fingertips, trembling like a frail lamb possessed by the devil or like a sinner facing the ssenger of God.
Those who were pointed out would likely protest, but they were dragged out without being able to move, unable to even breathe due to the eerie yet intense charisma that Carl exuded.
"Is it the end?"
"Ha, haa… . Heuheu… … ."
The old woman gasped and shed tears as she heard Carl ask her about the people being dragged out.
She could neither nod nor deny it.
The old woman squeezed her eyes shut and pinched her wrinkled face with her clenched fingers.
"Easy… It's okay. It's okay. You did a good job. Thanks to your brave actions, we were able to track down the subversive elents who threatened the safety of the empire."
Carl patted the old woman's shoulder as she scread silently, then bent down and whispered in her ear.
"Never forget this mont. That young man's life was saved because of your courage."
"Gasp, huh, huh…!"
Carl spoke to the old woman as he looked at the young man with a pale face, and the old woman, who had been desperately trying to save her grandson who had actively participated in the rebellion, completely collapsed at those words.
There was no reason for the rebels who ca to take the n away to leave him behind in the village.
It must have been to keep the active participants behind so that the townspeople wouldn't do anything foolish. All the young n left in the village were those who joined the rebellion.
"Let ask you one last ti. What did the rebels say when they took them away?"
Carl spoke gently, breathing the last of his poison into the unstable old woman, mixing reassurance and anxiety.
"A new, new world has co…"
"A new world. And?"
Carl looked into the old woman's eyes with his gentle, swaying green eyes as he pressed for more information.
The old woman was completely broken, and now, unlike before, she could not tell what she could and could not say.
"Because, Duren said he was looking after us… … ."
Carl's eyes narrowed.
"So? What's next?"
"So, I'm sure we'll win… … like that… … ."
"… … ."
Carl, who had been quietly looking into the eyes of the old woman whose words were trailing off, smiled brightly.
"I see. Hmm. You did a really good job. Thanks to you, it was a great help."
Carl spoke calmly, straightened his leaning body, turned his horse around, and rode away, leaving the fallen old woman behind.
If Carl had heard anything about the Church of Universal Equality, he would have killed every single one of them on the spot. But leaving it like this and going back still left him feeling uneasy.
"Isolate the young n separately."
"Yes."
The n who remained to guard the village under Carl's orders were captured and dragged away.
Since they were actively involved in the rebellion, they might have heard about the Church of Universal Equality.
Carl would interrogate them and get confirmation.
And if they confessed, they must be killed.
The old woman tried to save them, but there was no reason to spare a man who admitted with his own mouth that he had joined the rebellion.
"Wait, Nari!"
The old woman scread as she saw her grandson being dragged away, but Carl was not interested in the old woman who had already outlived her usefulness.
"Check thoroughly."
"Yes."
At the end of Carl's order, the soldiers dragged away those who participated in the rebellion.
After a grueling interrogation that lasted until night, it was confird that the town was unaware of the existence of the Church of Universal Equality.
Carl executed all those who had participated in the rebellion. All of the captured n were killed in the battle, and many villagers were executed for rebellion.
The town was gripped by panic, and everything was paralyzed while Carl and his n rested.
The old woman's grandson was returned safely.
But after Carl left, no one knew what would happen to the old woman and her grandson who accused those involved in the rebellion.
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